The document provides tips for overcoming the fear of public speaking. It recommends three methods: 1) Know your presentation structure well using keywords and notes rather than scripts to allow for a natural conversation. 2) Believe in your own content and expertise to appear confident. 3) Take your time when speaking, pausing when needed rather than rushing through without breaks. Slowing down and breathing can help reduce anxiety.

2. by PublicSpeakingGladiator
Fear of public speaking
When you try to deal with fear of public speaking, you first
need to understand where it comes from.
Depending on the cause of your anxiety, you will need to fight
it with different methods. I’ll show you three ways to gain
confidence, even in a terrifing situation.

3. by PublicSpeakingGladiator
Know your presentation
This is kind of a no-brainer. Fear of public speaking often comes
from the feeling of being unprepared.
Guess how to fight it? Exactly, by being well prepared. But if you
write yourself a script, you only make it worse.
If you write a script, you will try to follow it. (that’s the point of a
script afterall) But that just offers more opportunities to fail!

4. by PublicSpeakingGladiator
Know your presentation
Instead of a script, write down a structure using only keywords. Then, talk
freely, guided by this structure. If you want to say certain phrases, transitions
or even full sentences, write them down too. But 90% of it should be keywords
only.
If you know you content, casually talking shouldn’t be a problem. When you
reached the point where you don’t need to rely on a notecard for the structure
anymore, you are ready for your speech! (still bring your notecard as backup)
Public speaking should always be more a natural conversation than a scripted
presentation.

5. by PublicSpeakingGladiator
Be confident in your content
If you doubt yourself too much, it will be hard appearing
professional. How is your audience supposed to believe you if you
don’t even believe in yourself?
Make sure you believe in what you are talking about. Be
comfortable with your content. The audience wants you to tell them
something great! They aren’t trying to find faults, they don’t expect
you to be perfect.

6. by PublicSpeakingGladiator
Take it slow
When I got up on a stage, I usually just started my
presentation with my well-memorised start. I quickly went on,
and tried hard not to stop. As long as I don’t think about
anything else than my text, everything is fine. But as soon as I
paused to remember the next part, I felt all the eyes judging
me with their cold stares, my every fault laid blank.

7. by PublicSpeakingGladiator
Take it slow
Instead of going fast, try going slow. Start your speach with a
pause. Just get up on the stage, having your title slide projected,
and look into your audience. Gather your thoughs, calm your mind.
Take three deep breaths. Then, start your presentation –
slowly. Don’t hurry up, talk slowly and carefully. Whenever you
need to think, just stop talking and look into your audience. A
pause can rekindle attention, but “uhm”s and “uhh”s will sound
very unprofessional, even annoying.